This church has an interesting history. During the 1798 United Irishmen uprising, John Glendy, the Minister, and Watty Graham, (either an elder of the church or the son of the Kirk Session clerk, depending on which account you read), were apparently key organisers of the local United Irishmen. The uprising was crushed, the Minister went into hiding before later fleeing to America, as he was likely to be executed if arrested.
Martial law had been declared, and the local magistrates had much wider powers than normal, including it seems to the power to sentence death, as in the case of poor old Watty Graham (who as I understand it had been the Kirk Session clerk in Maghera Presbyterian church.) The French Revolution had just taken place a few years earlier, the United Irishmen’s declared aims were the overthrow of the state and so the Government feared a civil war and reacted accordingly, with some fairly draconian and speedy punishments for ringleaders (though the rank and file mostly got off). Normal rule of law was suspended for a year or so, and this seems to be confirmed by the fact that Watty Graham is described as having been court-martialled, rather than convicted in the Assizes as would normally have been the case. He was hanged from a tree in the Church of Ireland Rectory.
The local GAA club is named after him. Probably the only GAA club in Ireland named after a Protestant.
The Rev Glendy was succeeded by the Rev Charles Kennedy. He seems to have been an interesting character. On 12th June 1823 there was a major sectarian dispute in Maghera during which 4 people were killed and 17 wounded. It appears that as the fight raged in the town, the Rev Charles Kennedy came out of his home with his gun which he fired in the direction of the Ribbonmen (Catholic protesters). It broke up the riot but landed the Minister and his son in court for attempted murder. The charge was apparently not proceeded with and the Rev Kennedy was eventually discharged, along with other prisoners.
The earliest baptism and marriage records for the church date from 1843. Any records the church may have held for the 1700s were presumably lost when it was burned in 1798 and the Minister went into hiding. His successor did not keep any records during his 40 year tenure, and it was only on his retirement that his successor began to keep records. There is a copy of the records from 1843 onwards in PRONI (the public record office) in Belfast. The records are also on the Maghera Genealogy site (url is given below). Marriages from 1845 onwards are also available on the irishgenealogy site.
The church has a graveyard but older generations may be buried in St Lurach’s churchyard or other graveyards in the area. Details are on the Maghera Genealogy site.
Further detailed information on life in Maghera in the 1800s can be found in Rev Sidlow Witherow’s excellent booklet on the Parish of Maghera.
References
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Information on St Lurach's graveyard | Northern Ireland. Great Britain. | VIEW SOURCE |
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Link to Maghera Genealogy | Northern Ireland. Great Britain. | VIEW SOURCE |
